Geneva Residents to vote for against the sell of alcohol

Tuesday, May 25th, Geneva city residents will decide whether or not to legalize the sell of alcohol in the city limits.

It's a seemingly simple answer. Yes, or no?

But when the question is whether or not to support the sell of alcohol in the City of Geneva, the answer isn't always so simple.

“It’s an emotional issue that's often discussed and has been for a number of years,” says Mayor Wynnton Melton.

Carol Powell plans on adding beer and wine to the menu at her restaurant if the city goes wet.

"Geneva’s broke. We're losing tax dollars every month, businesses are closing and we need some sort of other revenue," says Powell, "I’m within three miles of the liquor store and we see them going down there all the time, we need that money here, not in Florida."

But area religious leaders say alcohol isn't the answer to city's financial burdens.

"It would take a vast amount of alcohol to generate the revenue we need," says Maple Avenue Baptist Church Pastor Mike Shirah, "I think we'll have a problem with ready access for our young people. It'll be easily available for them; we'll have an increase in our family strife and struggles."

A “yes” vote would make Geneva the only municipality in Geneva County to sell alcohol.

A county-wide vote in November of 2008 went dry by only 91 votes; less than 1% of the total ballots.

"This here is your opportunity to go to the polls and vote it simply up or down within the city limits of Geneva," says Melton.

The vote will be held at the Geneva Community Center from 7 am till 7 pm.

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